UGADI SPECIAL

HAPPY UGADI
Wishing all a very prosperous New year. May the fruits of happiness ripen this year and success be all yours.

Ugadi/Yugadi mean (yuga - new era, aadi- start) Starting of a new year. It is celebrated by Andhra pradesh and karnataka called as Ugadi/Yugadi, In maharastra as Gudi padwa, and sindhis as Cheti chand. On this day everyone wait for the new panchangam and general forecast of the coming year.

The day begins with prayers, gathering, and praying to god. Especially everyone actually wait for different kind of sweets and savouries prepared on that day. Before all this, a special drink is made on this day which is eaten first called as Ugadi Pachadi, a mixture of different tastes indicating the fact that our life is a mixture of different experiences.

I am happy to share the dishes i prepared for the festival, ugadi pachadi, murkulu, carrot ladoo, and Mango rice.

UGADI PACHADI

Ingredients:

Tamarind water - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/4th cup, grated

Mango - Cut in to small pieces/grated, 1/4th cup

Chilli powder - 1/4th tsp

Neem flowers/Methi seeds - 1/4th tsp

Salt- pinch

Coconut - chope in to small pieces, few

Method:

Mix all the above ia a bowl, add little water to thin the consistency.

If using methi seeds, soak them in hot water for 1/2hr and chop them and use.

You can reduce the amount of tamarind, if you do not like too much sourness.

You can add fruits fine banana, cut in to small pieces.

Tamarind is used for sourness, Jaggery for sweetness, Mango for tangyness, Chilli powder for hotness, Neem flowers for bitterness, and salt for saltiness.

MURKULU/JANTHIKALU

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2cups

Urad dal/ urad flour - 1/2cup

Red chilly powder - 1/4th tsp

Salt - as required

Sesame seeds (Nuvullu/Til) - 1/2tsp

Ajwain (vamu) - 1/4 tsp

Butter/Oil - 1tbsp

Oil - for deep frying

Water - as required for mixing

Murku maker and plates

Method:

If using urad dal, dry roast the dals until light brown. Cool it, make in to fine powder. You can as well use the storebought urad dal flour directly.

Now mix both the flours, add salt and butter/oil to it and mix properly until it turns slightly grainy with butter added. This gives muruku crispy and smooth texture.

Next add the rest of the dry ingredients, mix properly. Use required amount of water and mix until a stiff dough is formed.

Now take a muruku maker, use any design plates as attachments. Take a small amount of dough and place it inside the murku maker. Press the muruku make directly in to the hot oil and deep fry until done and they turn light brown color. Dont worry whichever shape, it tastes great.

MANGO RICE

Ingredients:

Mango - 1 cup, Grated

Rice - 2 cups, cooked

Curry leaves - few

Coriander leaves - as required, finely chopped

Green chillies - chopped, 2 or 3

Cashews - few (optional)

Ground nut - optional

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Salt - as required

Hing - Pinch

For seasoning - Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly, urad dal, chana dal.

Oil - 2tbsp

Method:

Add oil to the hot pan, put the seasonings. When the mustard seeds splutter and dals turn light brown, add cashews, green chillies, coriander and curry leaves. Let them fry for few seconds. Next add the shredded mango and let cook for few minutes until mango is slightly cooked and tender. Add turmeric, salt and then the rice. Mix properly, check for salt. It tastes equally good as lemon rice.

CARROT LADOO

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 .1/2cup, grated

Honey - 1/2cup

Dry fruits - almonds, cashews, raisins, walnuts, 20r3tbs

Cornflour - 1tbsp

Cardamom powder (elaichi) - 1/4tsp

Fresh coconut - 1/2cup, grated

Oil/butter - 1tbsp(optional)

Method:

Dry roast the nuts and powder fine / coarsely to have a crunchy effect.

Dry roast the grated coconut until light brown and keep aside on a plate

Take a non stick pan, add the carrot and fry it without the oil/butter (it is optional to use. I did not use in this receipe). Keep stirring until it turns slight tender. Now add the honey to it and let the carrot cook in the honey for 3-4min on low flame.

Next add the elaichi powder, nuts powder, mix properly. Lastly, add cornflour (for binding) and mix for couple minutes and remove from stove. Let cool and make the carrot mixture in to small lemon size balls. Then roll the ladoos in the grated coconut. A healthy, and delicious ladoo is ready